Rape survivor tells court she wants to hit assailants

Driven by rage against her tormentors, the 19-year-old telephone operator who was allegedly gang-raped in Mumbai's Shakti Mills compound on July 31, requested the judge conducting the trial to allow her beat up the men who raped her. The request was, however, turned down by the court.

"The survivor was examined on Wednesday. While deposing, the survivor was weeping continuously. Later the court ordered that curtains be put between her and the accused, after which she continued her deposition," said special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.

Nikam said that at one point during the deposition, the girl became emotional and asked the court for permission to beat up the accused. "During the deposition she said that the accused had assaulted her during the rape and hence she requested the court that she be allowed to get even by beating them up. However, the court turned down the request," Nikam said.

The telephone operator was allegedly gang-raped by four men and a juvenile. Three of the men are also also involved in the gang rape of a photojournalist in the same abandoned mill compound on August 22.

The survivor was passing through the compound with her would-be husband towards the railway station when she was waylaid and raped by the accused.

Following the deposition of five witnesses, principal sessions judge Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi on Wednesday recorded the deposition of the gang rape survivor and her mother.

The girl has identified the accused and her deposition will continue on Thursday. The court also recorded the deposition of her mother.